Conferences or codecamps? Is it binary?

The average face value of a pass for a conference such a Microsoft TechEd runs into the thousands of dollars. Compare that to the low cost or even completely free entry to a community-driven conference or a regional code camp.

How do you determine the value of your attendance at Microsoft PDC versus something like DEVLINK or your local code camp event?

Does it always have to be either or?

New ASP.NET MVC Reporting Extensions

With the release of DXperience v2011 vol 1, ASP.NET MVC developers and those exploring this field will have access to new native reporting extensions.

The team have created both a report viewer and a report toolbar extension, and we’re very keen to hear your feedback. Are you working with ASP.NET MVC? Could these extensions help you in applications that you’re currently working on?

Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments for Seth and the reporting team. We look forward to hearing what you think!

Brand New Reporting Extensions for ASP.NET MVC Developers

Introducing ASP.NET Docking Controls to DXperience v2011 vol 1

ASPxDocking, an independent trio of brand new docking controls, will be released with the ASP.NET suite of controls in DXperience v2011 vol 1.

These controls will provide you with the mechanics to offer flexible layout customization and the ability to create a “widget” style appearance via drag-and-drop functionality. Not only that, these standalone controls mean that the DevExpress docking solution allows you to place standalone panels, zones and manager docking controls on different web pages.

Can you see potential for these controls in your application? Tell us how you might use this approach in the comments.

Create Drag-and-drop Style Widgets with New ASP.NET Docking Controls

The CodeRush Feature Workshop

This week sees the first of Mark and Rory’s CodeRush Feature Workshops.

The duo will take on a weekly webinar schedule that hands over control of the content to you. Yes, you will get to request which feature should be built from scratch and completed during the 60 minute session. Mark and Rory will both build it and publish it to the community for everyone to enjoy.

This isn’t just express development. This is your express development.

Mark and Rory Make Your Dream IDE

Extensive WinForms Control Enhancements Keep Coming

Our RichEdit evangelist, Rachel Reese, is careering like a wild thing through new features and functionality on her blog, and the good news just keeps coming.

There is an extensive array of enhancements to come to the WinForms RichEdit control and Rachel’s got every angle covered.

Take a look at these sneak peeks at the newest improvements in the posts below, and don’t forget to leave your thoughts and feedback for Rachel in the comments.

Introducing Paste Special to the Clipboard Menu WinForms RichEdit Control to Support Nested Master-detail Merge Operations Autocorrect and Hyperlink Detection Coming to RichEdit Improvements to Syntax Highlighting in DXperience v20011 vol1

Using Navigational TextCommands in CodeRush

What is a Navigational TextCommand? How does it work? Can I create my own?

In this short article, Rory explains the whys and wherefores of this extensible feature of CodeRush and he even provides a simple template for you to follow. Check it out and let Rory know if there are other Navigational TextCommands that you would like to see.

CodeRush Navigational TextCommands

An Introduction to XAF CRUD Activities

In this article, Tolis reviews the built-in Create-Read-Update-Delete (CRUD) functions of XAF. This introduction focuses on the execution of a workflow operation.

If you are new to the eXpress Application Framework, this article will help you get to grips with variable terminology and offers useful screenshots to highlight certain behaviors.

Grab some coffee and kick back with this article. Please remember to leave your feedback in the comments for Tolis to review.

Working with XAF CRUD Activities

Designing a Gauge with DXGauges for Silverlight and WPF

In this short DevExpress Channel video, Amanda visually demonstrates how to create a gauge control using DX Gauges for WPF and Silverlight.

She’ll show you how to create a sleek and modern clock gauge design with an alarm marker, needles, range bars and ranges.

WPF and Silverlight Gauges - Designing a Gauge

Deploying XAF to The Cloud

Both of the DevExpress frameworks are capable of running on Azure, but it is difficult to show how to do this without a real-world application running on the cloud.

Our frameworks evangelist, Tolis Bekiaris, invited Windows Azure Microsoft MVP Panagiotis Kefalidis to discuss his commercial XAF solution that is currently deployed as a cloud application.

This recording is taken from a recent webinar in the DevExpress Webinar Series. Let us know if there are other XAF topics that you’d like to see covered.

Deploying XAF on Azure

Welcoming New Additions to the DevExpress Charting Suites

In DXperience v2011 vol 1, the charting team have introduced four new chart types over each of our supported platforms. We’re hoping that these will help you to find more ways to appropriately display your data for your end users.

Take a look at these short video introductions on the DevExpress Channel to see the chart types and explore potential uses for each.

New WPF and Silverlight Chart Types New Additions to XtraCharts for WinForms and ASP.NET

TechEd 2011 Interviews with Scott Hanselman and Steve Smith

At TechEd Atlanta, Mehul spent some time chatting to his industry peers and finding out what is new in the community.

Sit back and enjoy his interviews with Microsoft ASP.NET team members Scott Hanselman and Damien Edwards, ASP.NET MVP Steve Smith, and INETA North America President, Joe Gaudagno.

Damian Edwards Tells Us Why WebForms Is Here to Stay Who Is Scott Hanselman and What Does he Do? Steve Smith on Speaker Idol at TechEd 2011 Joe Gaudagno Discusses INETA and Community Activities